Shoe tying machine



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SHOE TYING MACHINE.

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SHUI: TYING MACHINE.

No. 411.565. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

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SHOE TYING MACHINE.

No. 411.565. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

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Mi Gif/m PETERS. Plmrorunmmpm', wmungum D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. AYER, OF BOSTON, MASSAUII.ISETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANCIS II.

UATHORNE ANU ISAAC l. ',l. EDMUNDS, BOTH OF SAME PLAE.

SHOE-TYING MACHINE.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,565, dated September 24, 1889.

Application iiled March 1, 1889. Serial No. 301,627. lNo model) To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT h1. AYER, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new 5 and useful improvements ir. Shoe-Tying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines in which a cord is used for connecting shoes together to in pairs, said cord being put through the back, of eachshoe and secured thereto by knotting the thread within the shoe, the object of my improvements being to provide a more convenient, easily-operated, and simpler machine I 5 than any now in use.

To these ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved machine, the side plate being removed to show the working parts more clearly, the clutch mechanism being drawn in section. Fig. 2 represents a z5 front elevation of the same. Fig. 2^ represents a front view of a treadle used in operating the clutch mechanism. Fig. J3 represents a horizontal section on line :13.1: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a transverse section on line 1/ y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section on line .a of Fig. l. Fig. .5^ represents a section on line n' n' of Fig. 5. Fig. G represents a side view of part of the machine to illustrate a gripping device used 3 5 in clamping the presser-foot in position when down. Fig. ISA represents a perspective view of the same. Fig. 7 represents a detail showing in side elevation the mechanism for tying the knot. Fig. 8 represents an end view of the same. Fig. Q represents a vertical section on line r fr of Fig. 8. Figs. l and llY represent a similar section, showing the working parts in different positions; and Figs l2, 13, and l-t show the cord at several stages of the 45 tying operation.

A, Figs. 1,2, and 3, is the frame-work of the machine, having formed with it a horn A, over which the shoe is placed when the machine is in operation, the horn being in a substantially o horizontal position.

a is the driving-shaft of the machine, having upon it the driving-pulley A3 and the clutch mechanism or automatic stop-motion, Which will be described farther on. The shaft n is supported in bearings provided in the frame of the machine and has affixed to it the cams l) li" and gear c. The cam b is provided with two cani-grooves h h3, thc former being used to give the necessary movement to the needle-bar E through the trundle-roll h2 and bell-crank lever B, while the cam-groove b3 is used to give a reciprocating movement through the trundle-roll D" and connectingrod tl to the shaft c, which carries the knottyin devices and is located in the horn. Upon the periphery of the cam h is a wiper-cam h5, which bears against one arm of the bell-crank lever C. lhe other arm of said lever is provided with a forked end, within which slides a square block pivoted to the presser-foot bar Dit. A fiat springD presses upon the forked end of the lever (l, the tension of said spring being regulated by a set-screw, as shown. The gear r: meshes with a gear f, which is connected by a spline or feather with the shaft e, so that it can not only rotate said shaft, but also slide longitudinally thereon. The proportion ot' the gears f'fis such as to give three revolutions to the shaft e to one revolution of the driving-shaft. It will be seen, therefore, that the shaft e is provided with a rotary and reciln-ocating movement, the gear f, through which it slides, being held in place by the 'lxcd plate f', having a projection which .fits into a groove formed in the hub of the geant'. With one end of the shaft e is engaged, by a 'flange entering a groove in said shaft, a sleeve or collar, which is connected by a pivot c within one end of the connecting-rml n', the described engagement of the sleeve and shaft permitting the shaft to rotate independently of the sleeve, the latter being prevented from rotating by its connection with the connecting-rod d. The other end of said connecting-rod and the trundleroll o* thereon are supported by a sleeve d', which is fulcrumed on a bearing d2, fastened to the frame of the machine. The shaft e passes through a head g, which is splined to it, so that the shaft rotates said head and is capable of sliding lengthwise in it. On the outer end of the shaft e is formed a hook e',

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the otliee of which will be presently explained. The head g is held in place and prevented from reciprocating with the shaft e by a fixed plate y", which engages a groove in the head, as shown in Fig. l, said plate permitting the head to rotate with the shat't e. The end ot the shaft e is milled out to form a groove z, in which pivoted at i' a swinging plate `1'. Ou the swinging plate i is formed a hook i2, and in said plate is formed a slot [3. A pin g', fastened to the head g, passes through the slot [3, and during the backward movement ot' the shaft e constitutes a fixed pivot or t'ulcrum, whereby the swinging plate is thrown from the position shown in Figs. 7, 8, and D to the position shown in Figs. l and ll.

Pivoted at g2 on the head g is a hook j, the point of which slides in a groove j in the shaft (Sec Fig. il.) The point of the hook j is kept in contact with the shaft c by the tension of the spring?, Fig. acting on the partj3 of the hook. During the backward movement of the shaft e the point of the hookj is kept by said spring' in close contact with the shaft, and as soon the shaft has receded far enough the point leaves the groovejl and enters the groove i, as shown in Fig. ll. \Vhen the plate i is thrown over to the position shown in Figs. l0 and ll, a space i5 is left between the hooks e and [i for the shoe-tying cord or thread. The part j" of the hook projects beyond the surface of the head g, as shown in Figs. l and S, said projecting portion forming a cani-surface, which, during the rotation of the head g, comes in contact with a cani-plate li', affixed to the horn A', shown in Fig. i. The contact of the part jii with said lixed cam-plate 7; forces the rear end ol' the hook inwardly against the tension of the spring J1 and throws the point of the hook outwardly, thereby causing said hook to release the knot, as presently explained.

Alfixed to the driving-sha1" t is a cam U5, provided with two cam-grooves, said grooves being separated by a narrow rib bi, (forming a part of said eann) excepting at one point where the continuity ot' said rib is interrupted by an opening Il, which connects said grooves. The sides of the rib near said opening are curved inwardly to a point, and the outer sides of the grooves are similarly curved to form inward projections at opposite sides of said opening, the form of the ends ot the rib and of the sides of the grooves at this point being such that a runner or shoe b9, pivoted to a lever if, hereinafter described, and formed withpoiuted ends, will be caused to pass from one groove to the other through the opening h", and thereby give said lever a lateral movement. The lever bl is pivoted at L to an ear on the frame, and the shoe or runner h" is connected with said lever by a pivot bw between the pivoted and swinging ends of the lever.

b1 represents a rod which has a collar D attached to it, said collar having an ear which is pivoted to the swinging end of the lever bw. The opposite end of said rod is pivoted to an arm q, formed on the thread-cutting blade Q, which blade is pivoted at q to the presser-foot l). The oscillating movements ot the lever 111, caused, as above described, by the action ot' the camgrooves on the shoe or runner U, are communicated to the blade by the red om, the cutting-edge ot` said blade being thereby moved alternately forward and back over the upper surface of the presser-fruit, the blade moving' forward and eo-operating with a blade bi, forming a part ot the presser-fo0t in severing the cord after two shoes have been eonnected by the operation ot' the machine.

It is necessary to provide means for holding the end of the cord after the part which eonneets the shoes together has been severed; and to this end l provide a plate r, which is located over the swinging blade Q, and is pressed down upon the upper surface of said blade by a spring yr', located in a cavity in the presser-foot sleeve l), one end of said plate passing into or tlirough said cavity and reeeivi ng the downward pressure ot' the spring r. The plate r has an arm r2, which projects over and bears at all times ou the oscillating blade Q, thus preventil'lg the plate from fall ing below the blade. 'lhe main portion of the plate r is arranged so that it will bear on the blade only when the latter is forced forward to cut the cord. `When the blade is thus forced forward, its upper surface comes under the main portion ol the plate `r just before the cord is eut, the lower end otthe main portion of the cord heilig thus caught between the upper surface oi' the blade and the under surface of the plate 'r and held by the pressure of the spring r on said plate. The blade Q remains in the position last described during the operation of forming the first knot in tying a pair of shoes, so that the end ot' the cord is clamped duringl said operation, as hereinafter described.

The shear-blade or cutting-edge [N5 on the presser-foot is formed. by the intersection of one side otan orifice IN in the presser-foot with the upper surface of said toot, said side being beveled, as shown in Fig. 5^. rlhe oriiiee bl" also constitutes the hole through which the needle passes. 'lhe under side of the presser-foot is provided with a downwardlyprojecting lip or llange D" at its outer end, said lip resting on one side of the needle-reeeivingthroat I)T on the horn when the presserfoot is depressed and keeping the remaining portion of the bottom of the presser-foot, raised above said horn, so thatthere is always a space l'or the free passage ot the thread between the horn and presser-foot.

di; represents a depression or recess formed in the uppersurfaeeoi thepresser-toot under the oscillating blade Q to permit the thread IOO lIO

to pass freely under said blade without being clamped or held thereby against the upper surface of the presserfoot.

To prevent the presser-foot l) from being lifted when the needle-bar begins to reeede, (a eonunon occurrence when heavy stock is being worked upon,) a device (shown in Figs. (j and 6A) is provided to hold the presser-foot securely at any point to which it has dropped. Upon the upper part and upon one side of the presser-foot bar D3 is provided a feather or spline D, acting as aguide for thebar and also as a projecting lip for the gripping-lever m to act upon. The gripping-lever m in its normal position-that is, when the machine is at rest-dies in a horizontal plane, being held in said position by the tension of a spring in', Fig. l, pressing it upward against the [iat surface of the strap m2, fastened to the frame. One extremity of the gripping-lever `m is pro` vided with a reetangular-shaped notch m, fitting loosely over the feather D4, while the other extremity is V-shaped and 'tits a correspending` notch in the lever n. The lever `n is pivoted to the frame at `n', and is provided with a spring n2, the tendency of which is to force the notched arm of the lever n against the V-shaped extremity of the gripping-lever m. 'lhe lower arm of the lever a is made of such a form as to be moved out against the tension of the spring n.2 when the needle-bar arni l) is on its upward throw, an anti-friction roll li; being provided on said needle-bar arm B to roll upon the edge of the lever n, as shown in the details. l'pon the downward movement of the l'leedle-bar (the presser-foot bar having already dropped upon vthe work) the upper arm of the lever n is forced in by the spring a2 against the V-shaped end of the gripping-lever nl. The V-shaped extremity of the gripping-lever is moved downward by having the eorrespondingly-shaped notch pressed against it, throwing said grippinglever out of a horizontal position, forming a grip upon the featherD7 and preventing any upward movement of the presser-foot bar. It will be seen that the presser-foot is securely held in any position that it may be in when dropped upon the various thicknesses of stock upon which it is used.

Loose upon the driving-shaft o the dri ving-pulley A2, while fast to said shaft beside the driving-pulley is the disk A, having a slot o3, as shown in Figs. l and 3. vln the slot ai* is a sliding key or latch al, provided with a spring a", which normally throws the key into contact with a projection o, Fig. l, on the driving-pulley. The key a* is forced away from the driving-pulley once during each rotation of the latter by means of the lever (L7, which is pivoted to an arm bolted on the main frame. The end of the lever whieh acts on the key o* is wedge-shaped, as shown in Fig. 3,1and has a shoulder forming a stop for the key to engage. Said lever is also provided Witha spring of, whereby it is yieldingly held down upon the disk Ai. To

the other end of the lever a7 is attached a chain a, which is carried down to a suitable treadlc, the depression of which raises the wedge-shaped end of the lever d and causes the latter to release the key a', whereupon said key is forced by its spring to position to engage the projection a on. the driving-pnlley. The release of said treadle allows the wedge-shaped endof lever o7 to :return to position to force back the key o* when the lat ter is brought by the rotation of the drivingshaft to the point where said wedge-shaped end is local ed.

Operation; ln tying two shoes together the operator takes the first shoe and places it on the horn until the licei-bearing surface of the inner sole rests on the adjustable stop s, the back of the shoe resting on the upper surface of: tlu,` horn, the needle and presser-foot being raised. ',lhe oscillating shear-blade Q is at this time closed over the fixed blade on the presser-foot, this being the position assumed bythe blade Q in severing the cord after the tying tcgigether of the shoes of the last pair. 'lhe shoe being in place, the operator starts the machine by engaging the driving shaft with the driving-pulley in the manner described. 0n the commeneement of the rotation of the driving-shaft the presser-foot is released` and drops upon the work and becomes locked and the needle descends through the back of the shoe. The shaft c and head o are continuously rotated during the entire operation, and at this stage the relative positions ot' the shaft c, head (7, and hooks r'f" and i are as shown in Figs. S, and fl. ll'pon the upward movement of the needle a loop is formed in the cord, which is immediately caught by the revolving hook 2 on the head y, said loop being carried around lOO the end of the spindle c by said hook, as

shown in Fig. o, the abovebeingaccomplished by the first rotation of the head g. As said head begins its second rotation the shaft c is moved longitiulinally to the left, as viewed in Fig. il, the loop or bight of cord on said shaft being moved with the shaft in the same direction, the hook r.' on the end of the shaft preventing said loop from slipping' oil. The plate 1.', holding the end of the loop,is by this motion of the shaft thrown over on its fulerum y to the position shown in Fig. l0, carrying the end ol' the loop downwardl \Y to the position shown in Fig. lil. After this the shaft r is moved still farther to the left, as shown in Fig. ll, thus allowing the hookj to force itself under the part of the loop first carried around the shaft c. The shaftc then begins its movement in the opposite direction and carries theparily-formed knot outwardly from the head, the point of the hook entering the groove i, as shown inFig. El, and holding the end of the loop, which is over the hook [i and which lies in the opening if", the end of the loop being thus drawn through the body of the loop. The position of the end of the loop as heid by the hook ii is shown approximately in Fig. ll. 'hen the head g/ has nearlyeompleted its last revolution, the hook is thrown olf from the end ot the loop by its endjiieoming in Contact with the cam-plate lf, the loop being prevented t'rom following the hook in its outward movement by two lips il, arranged on the head y, said lips being separated by a slot just wide enough to permit the hook to pass lthrough without the loop. This coinpletes the operation of forming a knot within the tirst shoe. `When the needle-bar-o]erating lever ll in rising has nearly withdrawn the needle from the work, it aets on thelever n and unlocks the presser-t`1otY As soon as the needle-bar again arrives at its highest point, the oscillating knife is moved to the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 5 and the presser-foot is raised. The stop-motion above deseribed then disconnects the drivingshaft from the dliving-pulley, leaving' the machine at rest with the needle, presserl`oot,and knife Q in the position last dcseribed, the driving-shaft having eompleted one rotation. 'lhe operator then removes the shoe from the horn and applies the other shoe ot' the pair thereto. rlhe machine is again set in motion and another knot is formed, as before; but this time, after the needle has completed its upward movement, the oscillating blade rj is closed upon the blade Il, and thereby caused lo sever the eord, the plate r and blade at the same time grasping the end of the main eord and holding it for the next operation. This completes the operation of tying together a pair et shoes, the machine being antomatieally stopped atteithe severing ol" the eord.

It will be observed that the horizontal arrangement ol' the horn and the vertieal arrangement of the needle and presser-bars contribute materiallyv to the convenience of the machine by enabling the operator to more easily apply and remove the work and to inspect the same during the operation.

Vlhe knot-tying meehanism is operated by the longitudinal movements of the shaft e within the horn, and the head y, shaft e, and the k not-tying devices operated thereby are arranged so that they take up but little room; henceV the horn can be made slender or eontraeted, so that it can enter the smallest shoes.

As the several operations required in tying the knot are aeeomplished by one revolution of the main shaft,it is desirable to provide some means to prevent more than the one revolution at the time required. ln Fig. 2^a treadle is illustrated, whit-h aeeomplishes the desired result. ll'inged to a pivot t are the levers t 'l`, the former being Connected to the lever oihy a ehain o". 'l is the treadle proper, to which is pivoled at tH the tripping-lever f2. Said lever f1 is provided with a projeetinglip t, resting upon the end ot' the lever t', and two projections t [4, which eome in eontaet with the base when the treadle is forced down.

A spring 1'? holds the treadle in its elevated position. When the treadle T is depressed, it carries with it lever t', by whieh, through the connected ehain d" and lever of, the eluteh is released and thrown into position, starting the main shaft. Further movement of the treadle downward brings the projections t and t* in turn against the base, which throws the upper part ot the level' t2 outwardly, releasing the lever and allowing the springnf* to torce the arm o7 in position to engage the eluteh-bloek as it completes its revolution. It will be seen that no further rotation of the shaft ean be made by releasing the eluteh until the foot is renuved from the treadle T, allowing it to ascend. and making the connection between the lip on f" and the end of the lever l'.

l Claiml. In a shoe-tying machine, the Combination, with a horn or work-support, a presserl'oot (fo-operating therewith, cutting mechanism carried bysaidpresser-foot, and a threadcarrying needle,ot` a knot-tying mechanism Composed ot' a rotating and longitudinallyreeiproeating shaft within said horn, a head rotatively engaged with said shaft, a stop whereby said head is j n'evented from moving endwise with the shaft, a loop-engaging hook pivoted to said shaft and having a conneetion with the head,whereby it is moved inwardly when the shalt is moved endwise in one direc-tion, and a second loop-engaging hook pivoted to the head and adapted to retain the end ol' the loop and draw the same through the body oli' the loop during the eudwse movement of the shat't in the opposite direetion, as set forth.

ln a shoe-tying machine, the improved knot-tying meehanism eomposed of the rotating and longitudinally-reeiproeating shaft having an end hook', the head g, rotatively engaged with said shai' t and prevented from reciprocating therewith, the pieee fi, pivoted to the shaft and provided with a hook i2 and with a slot` engaged with a fulernm attached to the head, and the spi-ing-eontrolled hook y', pivoted to the head, as set forth.

Il. In a shoe-tying machine, the eombination of the rotating and reeiproeating shaft e, the head y, rotatively engaged therewith, a stop, as g', wherein` slid head prevented from moving endwise with the shaft, the loopengaging hooks F and j, pivoted, respectively, to the shaft and head, one of said hooks being engaged, as deseribed, with a iulerum in the head, while the other is pressed inwardly by a spring, and a iixed eam whereby the spring-pressed hook is displaced at a given point in the rotation of the head, as set forth.

l. ln a shoe-tying maehine, the Combination, with the shaft e, head g, and hooks 'i2 and y', of the link (l, jointed ti) said shaft, the lever fl', pivoted at one end to a fixed support and at the other end to the link rl, and a dri ving-shaft geared to the shaft e and having a ICO lIO

cam engaged with the lever d, whereby the latter is oseillated and the shaft e reciprocated, as set forth.

5. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination, with a reciprocating needle, a work-snpporting horn, and knot tyingI mechanism within said horn, of the presser-foot having an opening, one side of which constitutes the shear-blade D, the shear-blade Q, pivoted to the presser-foot and (fo-operating with the blade D, and mechanism for oscillating said blade Q, as set forth. Y

In a shoe-tying machine, the combination, with a reciprocating needle and knottying mechanism, of the presser-foot having the fixed shear-blade bl and the springpressed cord-holding plate i', the shear-blade Q, pivoted to said foot and pressed downwardly thereon by the plate r, and mechanism for reeil'irocating the pivoted blade, the said plate r holding the cord against` the npper surface of the blade Q, as set forth.

7. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination, with a reciprocatiiig needle and knot tying mechanism, of the presser-foot having the shear-blade b1, the shear-blade Q, pivoted to the foot, the sleeve or enlargement on the driving-shaft having the cani-grooves connected by an. openingli, the pivoted levorbm, having a pivoted shoe adapted to rnn in said grooves, and the rod Z)3,eo11neeting said lever with the blade Q, as set forth.

8. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination of the driving-shaft, theknot-tyingmeehanism composed of die shaft e, having the hook c', the head g, and hooks 21, the gears e f, connecting the driving-shaft with the shaft e, said gear f arranged topermit the reciprocating movement of the shaft e, means for reciprocating said shaft, the driving-pnlley normally loose on the driving-shaft and provided with a projection, as a, a collar affixed to said driving-shaft and provided with a spring-impelled key or lateh adapted to engage said projection, and a wedge-shaped lever which normally stands in position to retract the key or latch, as set forth.

U. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination of the horizontally-arranged horn or worksnpport, the horizontally-arranged drivingshaft, the non-reciprocating` head y in said horn, the horizontal shaft e, adapted to move lengthwise through the head and in the horn, and knot-tying devices co-operating with said shaft and head within said horn, said shaft, head, and knot-tying devices being arranged so that the horn is enabled to be contracted in size, so as to be capable of entering the smallest shoes, connections between the shaft c and the driving-shaft, whereby the shaft e is horizontally reeiproeated, the vertieally-arran ged needle and presser bars provided, respectively, with a needle and a presser-foot, and devices communicating motion from the driving-shaft to the needle and presser bars, set forth.

ll). In a shoe-tyingl machine, the combination of the horn or work-support, the knottying mechanism, the vertically movable presser-foot l), the presser-bar D, having a rib D, the gripping-piece m, slotted to receive said rib and normally held by a spring in position to permit said rib to move freely, the needle-bar-actnating lever Il, and intermediate devices whereby when said lever is depressed the gripping-piece is displaced and caused to lock the presser-bar, and when the lever l is raised the gripping-piece is released and allowed to resume its normal position, as set forth.

ll. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination of the horn or work-support, knotting devices below the same, and the presser-foot having an orifice h, a portion of which constitutes agnide and lateral support for thc needle, while another portion constitutes a guide between which aml the needle the tying-cord. passes, and a d'owllwardly-projccting flange D'iat one side of said ori tiee,whereb v space is left for the cord under the cord-guiding` portion of the orifice and between the pressenfoot and the work-snpport, as set forth.

li. In a shoe-tying machine, the combina` tion, with the limit-tying mechanism, of the oscillating blade Q, the presser-foot having the oritiee Il", one side of which constitutes a blade lii, and the recess or depression d, for the passage of the cord under the oscillating blade, as set forth.

11i. In a shoe-tying machine, the combination of the presser-foot having;l a shear-blade formed on it, the oscillating shear-blade pivoted to said foot, the clamping-plate vertically movable in guides in the foot and bearing on the oscillating blade, and a spring,` whereby said plate is pressed against said blade, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to t his speci lication, in the presence of two subseribing witnesses, this 25th da)Y of lfebrnary, A. l). 18H5).

'W itnesses:

F. ll. IIA'PHORNE, (t. h. lnowN.

IOO

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